Exploring the Potential of Heterosis to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Popcorn Plants
Nitrogen is crucial for plant growth and development, and improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is a viable strategy for reducing dependence on nitrogen inputs and promoting sustainability. While the benefits of heterosis in corn are well known, the physiological mechanisms underlying this phenome...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/11/2135 |
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| author | Talles de Oliveira Santos Antônio Teixeira do Amaral Junior Rosimeire Barboza Bispo Wallace de Paula Bernado Bruna Rohem Simão Valter Jário de Lima Marta Simone Mendonça Freitas Freddy Mora-Poblete Roberto dos Santos Trindade Samuel Henrique Kamphorst Weverton Pereira Rodrigues Eliemar Campostrini Flávia Nicácio Viana Cosme Damião Cruz |
| author_facet | Talles de Oliveira Santos Antônio Teixeira do Amaral Junior Rosimeire Barboza Bispo Wallace de Paula Bernado Bruna Rohem Simão Valter Jário de Lima Marta Simone Mendonça Freitas Freddy Mora-Poblete Roberto dos Santos Trindade Samuel Henrique Kamphorst Weverton Pereira Rodrigues Eliemar Campostrini Flávia Nicácio Viana Cosme Damião Cruz |
| author_sort | Talles de Oliveira Santos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nitrogen is crucial for plant growth and development, and improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is a viable strategy for reducing dependence on nitrogen inputs and promoting sustainability. While the benefits of heterosis in corn are well known, the physiological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon in popcorn are less understood. We aimed to investigate the effects of heterosis on growth and physiological traits in four popcorn lines and their hybrids under two contrasting nitrogen conditions. We evaluated morpho-agronomic and physiological traits such as leaf pigments, the maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII, and leaf gas exchange. Components associated with NUE were also evaluated. N deprivation caused reductions of up to 65% in terms of plant architecture, 37% in terms of leaf pigments, and 42% in terms of photosynthesis-related traits. Heterosis had significant effects on growth traits, NUE, and foliar pigments, particularly under low soil nitrogen conditions. N-utilization efficiency was found to be the mechanism favoring superior hybrid performance for NUE. Non-additive genetic effects were predominant in controlling the studied traits, indicating that exploring heterosis is the most effective strategy for obtaining superior hybrids to promote NUE. The findings are relevant and beneficial for agro farmers seeking sustainable agricultural practices and improved crop productivity through the optimization of nitrogen utilization. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:59:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-60d11aa1556b4774905baa6251998651 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:59:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-60d11aa1556b4774905baa62519986512023-11-18T08:23:50ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-05-011211213510.3390/plants12112135Exploring the Potential of Heterosis to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Popcorn PlantsTalles de Oliveira Santos0Antônio Teixeira do Amaral Junior1Rosimeire Barboza Bispo2Wallace de Paula Bernado3Bruna Rohem Simão4Valter Jário de Lima5Marta Simone Mendonça Freitas6Freddy Mora-Poblete7Roberto dos Santos Trindade8Samuel Henrique Kamphorst9Weverton Pereira Rodrigues10Eliemar Campostrini11Flávia Nicácio Viana12Cosme Damião Cruz13Center for Plant Science Innovation, Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0664, USALaboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Center for Agricultural Sciences and Technologies (CCTA), Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, BrazilLaboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Center for Agricultural Sciences and Technologies (CCTA), Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, BrazilLaboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Center for Agricultural Sciences and Technologies (CCTA), Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, BrazilLaboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Center for Agricultural Sciences and Technologies (CCTA), Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, BrazilLaboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Center for Agricultural Sciences and Technologies (CCTA), Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, BrazilPlant Science Laboratory, Center for Agricultural Science and Technologies, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, BrazilInstitute of Biological Sciences, University of Talca, 1 Poniente 1141, Talca 3460000, ChileNational Research Center for Maize and Sorghum, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, MG-424 Highway, Km 45, Sete Lagoas 35701-970, MG, BrazilLaboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Center for Agricultural Sciences and Technologies (CCTA), Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, BrazilCentro de Ciências Agrárias, Naturais e Letras, Universidade Estadual da Região Tocantina do Maranhão (UEMASUL), Estreito 65975-000, MA, BrazilLaboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Center for Agricultural Sciences and Technologies (CCTA), Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, BrazilLaboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Center for Agricultural Sciences and Technologies (CCTA), Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, BrazilLaboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Center for Agricultural Sciences and Technologies (CCTA), Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, BrazilNitrogen is crucial for plant growth and development, and improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is a viable strategy for reducing dependence on nitrogen inputs and promoting sustainability. While the benefits of heterosis in corn are well known, the physiological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon in popcorn are less understood. We aimed to investigate the effects of heterosis on growth and physiological traits in four popcorn lines and their hybrids under two contrasting nitrogen conditions. We evaluated morpho-agronomic and physiological traits such as leaf pigments, the maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII, and leaf gas exchange. Components associated with NUE were also evaluated. N deprivation caused reductions of up to 65% in terms of plant architecture, 37% in terms of leaf pigments, and 42% in terms of photosynthesis-related traits. Heterosis had significant effects on growth traits, NUE, and foliar pigments, particularly under low soil nitrogen conditions. N-utilization efficiency was found to be the mechanism favoring superior hybrid performance for NUE. Non-additive genetic effects were predominant in controlling the studied traits, indicating that exploring heterosis is the most effective strategy for obtaining superior hybrids to promote NUE. The findings are relevant and beneficial for agro farmers seeking sustainable agricultural practices and improved crop productivity through the optimization of nitrogen utilization.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/11/2135gas exchangegenetic effectsGriffing diallel analysisleaf pigmentsnitrogen use efficiencynutritional stress |
| spellingShingle | Talles de Oliveira Santos Antônio Teixeira do Amaral Junior Rosimeire Barboza Bispo Wallace de Paula Bernado Bruna Rohem Simão Valter Jário de Lima Marta Simone Mendonça Freitas Freddy Mora-Poblete Roberto dos Santos Trindade Samuel Henrique Kamphorst Weverton Pereira Rodrigues Eliemar Campostrini Flávia Nicácio Viana Cosme Damião Cruz Exploring the Potential of Heterosis to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Popcorn Plants Plants gas exchange genetic effects Griffing diallel analysis leaf pigments nitrogen use efficiency nutritional stress |
| title | Exploring the Potential of Heterosis to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Popcorn Plants |
| title_full | Exploring the Potential of Heterosis to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Popcorn Plants |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Potential of Heterosis to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Popcorn Plants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Potential of Heterosis to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Popcorn Plants |
| title_short | Exploring the Potential of Heterosis to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Popcorn Plants |
| title_sort | exploring the potential of heterosis to improve nitrogen use efficiency in popcorn plants |
| topic | gas exchange genetic effects Griffing diallel analysis leaf pigments nitrogen use efficiency nutritional stress |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/11/2135 |
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